Naruto: Anbu Shadows
by Hauku
Summary: An Anbu Ninja named Lance is given an assignment to find and assassinate a murderous ninja that is in hiding in the Land of Snow. However when he arrives at the the targets hideout things don't go as they seem since the killer appears to be a young girl..
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lightning…a shadow!

Lance was upright in his bed in an instant, kunai cocked back in hand and eyes searching for the source. Lightning flashed again across the dark sky and he saw the figure of a cat crossing by on the sill and he sighed to himself with somewhat relieved tension. He spun the kunai's ring on his finger than slid back into its leather pouch tied to his right leg in a fluid motion and crashed back down into his pillows soaking in the warmth that his body heat had left on the sheets of the bed.

Its not that he was jumpy, it was just how he was trained. The Anbu Black Ops drills and methods had left a permanent mark in his mind to show that there were no second chances after a mistake. Training sessions within the academy were no different than real missions. If you were killed, then you weren't ready for that level of training.

Lance stretched out on his bed and with a toss of his head, flicked away his raven-black hair that fell over his mysterious blue eyes. As he did so he felt a light stiff pain in the back of his right shoulder.

He rubbed it softly. It was wound from yesterday's mission in the Land of Waves. A nick from a kunai that had been thrown by another shinobi that had been hired by the target he had been after. Light as the wound was, it was a reminder to the phrase "There is no room for mistakes" that had been constantly drilled into his head during his days at the Anbu Academy.

He froze a minute. "Speaking of which…"

He sat up again looking at the clock sitting on a desk next to the bed.

8:30am…

"Tsk…gonna be late again…" he grumbled.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lance was quick to take a shower and then throw on his clothes which consisted of dark baggy pants and a tight black body shirt that extended up to his face to form a mask. It was the traditional attire of an Anbu shinobi. He then slipped into his silver body armor and tied his sword to his back. They both fit snugly and the only thing that was left was the identification mask of the Anbu. Each was unique to their own wearer and no two looked alike. Lance picked it up off the desk where it was laying next to the clock and scoffed at it. He never liked them that much, they inhibit vision and looked so childish but when he appeared before either the Hokage or his superiors, it was custom for them to be worn at all times. He slipped it across his face and sighed as he heard a noise in the window. "Yah I know we're gonna be late…" he called behind his back to a form that was now crouching in the open window.

The man was now inside and closing the window before turning to face Lance, his face also covered by an Anbu mask. He removed it to reveal a friendly smiling face. His name was Hadjimaro, a childhood friend that Lance had grown up with all the way through the ninja academy in Konoha when they were still Genin. He had white hair that was long and spiky kind of like Lance's except his was black. They were basically twins in a sense and were as close as brothers.

He shrugged. "Has there been a day we haven't been late, Lance?"

Lance smiled too. "Half the time it's your fault." He grabbed the key to his apartment and put it in a pouch on his belt. "Did you bring breakfast?"

Hadjimaro tossed Lance a small paper bag that had two small pastries in it. "Eat those on the way, we gotta' get moving before we get written up."

Lance nodded in return and then Hadji (as he called him) turned tail and shot out the window and in a flash he was gone. Lance quickly locked the door and then also dove out the window and catching the roof by its edge and swung up into the rooftops his feet landing softly on the tiles. It was still somewhat dark out and he heard distant thunder coming from the south. It felt ominous and he could still feel that wound in his shoulder. He needed to see the medic sometime to get it looked at. But that was later. Right now he needed to go make his report to his superiors.

And with that thought, he leapt off the roof and moved with a high speed to catch up with Hadji in the distance.

I'll have more up soon. Please leave reviews


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was somewhat crowded at the Anbu Ops Center that was located behind the cliff for the Hokage faces. There were Anbu agents as well as regular Jounin ninja whose purpose there was unknown to neither Lance nor Hadji. The main entrance was a large dome like structure that had many halls that led to different parts of the building. Lance and Hadji stepped into the Anbu Center and crossed over through the throng of people to the main desk where an elderly man was filing papers as well as working on a computer that seemed to have lists of assignments in progress as well as I.D.'s of Anbu members.

Hadji walked up to the desk and placed a paper that contained the results of their mission the day before. "Land of Waves assignment: A-rank. Hadjimaro Nara and Lance Ryobi."

The old man took the paper and without a word handed him another. Hadji quickly looked it over then tossed it to him. "It's for you buddy…"

Lance caught it and looked it over as well. "It's a summons? From the Hokage?"

"Yep."

Lance found that somewhat strange. Honestly they never went directly to the Hokage's office for assignments…or ever for that matter. Well…he and Hadji once snuck into the Hokage's office once when they were still Genin at the Ninja Academy and they got caught. As punishment they were to go through a week of harsh training with Gai-sensei.

Lance shuddered at the thought of that but still…they took all their missions from here. A direct summons from the Hokage meant serious business.

"It just for me though? Why is that? There is plenty other skilled Anbu above my rank." Lance asked the old man at the desk.

Lance was only a Class 2 Anbu Shinobi Ninja. Hadji was Class 1 and there were very few Class S ninja. So why call on him?

The old man looked at him and for some strange reason Lance felt that the man could see right through his Anbu mask. He may have been old but he was probably still pretty dangerous as a Shinobi. "I just mind the papers, young man. I wouldn't question the Hokage's need for you if she herself requested it." He replied to Lance calmly.

Hadji punched his friend in the arm and Lance winced as it came dangerously close to his injured shoulder. "Yah mate, besides it's a great honor to even get to go into the Hokage's room.

Not that Lance really cared but…it had to be really, really important and he felt somewhat excited about. "However the summons says I'm not supposed to be there until 3:00pm." He replied to his friend.

"Great, we have time for lunch then. I want some ramen…" Hadji said putting his hand on his stomach.

Lance nodded in agreement. The ramen shop here in Konoha served some really good ramen noodles. Lance and Hadji visited there regularly when they weren't out on an assignment.

Lance folded the letter and put it in his pocket. "First one there has the check?" he asked his pal.

You couldn't tell but Hadji was smiling through his mask. "You're on!"

At the same we both took off through the center but at the same time the old man shouted our names. "Lance and Hadji!"

They both stopped in their tracks and turned back and smiled sheepishly. "Yah we know…walk unless emergency…" Lance said.

"Not only that!" the man said. He placed two large pouches of coins on the desk in front of him. "You forgot your pay."

Oh right, the money.

Lance and Hadji quickly grabbed their money from the desk and thanked the man. Then they began walking toward the doors of the Anbu center.

"Prepare to lose, mate." Hadji said in a competitive voice.

"Never lost a race, pal. Ever since academy days." Lance replied.

"You'll lose this time."

"Bring it!"

They reached the doors and with a sudden burst of speed began running to the edge of the cliff of the Hokage faces. As they reached the edge they both with sudden energy leapt off the side and began plunging down to the ground below laughing the whole way.

Thanks for readin this far. I will have another chapter up soon. However I'm sorry for not explaining Lance and Hadji past in more depth but its coming in the next chapter.

Leave some reviews please! They are very encouraging and it will make these chapter come faster!

Thanks for readin this far. I will have another chapter up soon. However I'm sorry for not explaining Lance and Hadji past in more depth but its coming in the next chapter.

Leave some reviews please! They are very encouraging and it will make these chapter come faster!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It wasn't long before Lance and Hadji had made their way to the Ramen Shop in town. Despite the distance, it took them less than five minutes because of their amazing speed their training yielded when they trained with Might Gai. Even though it had been punishment for the antics they had pulled in the Hokage's office, they found the knowledge he shared about footwork as well as the techniques he taught had been worthwhile to learn. Thanks to his training, they now had the ability to use the Hidden Lotus. But since Lance was more experienced in the speed department, he easily won the mock race between him and Hadji.

With Hadji paying, they quickly obtained their bowls of ramen, became flabbergasted at the sight of how many bowls sat beside a young Genin named Naruto who was greedily slurping up his noodles, then took their bowls up onto the roof of the shop promising they would return them as soon as the were finished.

As they sat there eating, Lance stared up into the cloudy sky watching the fast moving clouds wisp by as they were blown by wind. "It's going to be raining here soon." He murmured slurping some more of the delicious noodles.

Hadji nodded in agreement but other than that said nothing and continued to eat. However when he stopped to remove a mushroom that had been added to the bowl (He didn't like mushrooms) he finally said something. "What business do you think Lady Tsunade has with you?"

Lance shrugged. Honestly he didn't have a clue. As ANBU they already got B to S ranked assignments. Top class missions…But the only thing he could think of was that there was something important that the Hokage wanted to express in private.

After taking another bite of his Ramen Lance winced again at the wound on his shoulder. It was steadily getting worse and he was starting to believe now that there was some sort of poison in it but he then thought of the antidote he had drank just in case so he ruled out that possible factor. The muscle must have been tensing up or something.

Hadjimaro noticed the small flinch and cocked his head in wonder. "Something wrong, mate?"

Lance shrugged. "Got nicked by a kunai."

"Poison?"

"Drank an antidote so it's not likely…"

Hadji also shrugged. "I hear Lady Tsunade is the best healer of her time. Perhaps you could ask for her assistance when we get there."

"Possibly…"

Lance finished his ramen and slurped up the liquid then waited for his comrade to do also and then they returned the bowls o the owner of the ramen shop. Once the deed was done they were instantly moving out again toward the large building in the distance where the Hokage resided. It would be nearly 3:00 and it wouldn't hurt to be on time for once.

As they leapt from rooftop to rooftop Lance began to consider the possible factors of his summoning.

Was it for another assignment? Maybe a promotion? Perhaps even a paid vacation? He heard of plenty of ANBU members that had gotten some days off after an important mission's success. But he wouldn't gauge the mission they had undertaken as of something of utmost importance. They were tasked to assassinate a corrupt warlord that was starting an uprising in the Land of Waves big deal… Anyone could have done that. Even the Chuunin. So what could the Hokage possibly want?

Lance blew a sigh. He somewhat wished for a really important assignment, something daring and exhilarating. But he wasn't top class yet since he just joined ANBU and since Hadji, was in a sense, his handler since he was class 1, they could only take on missions that were meant for Lance's level which means no S-rank assignments.

Lance scoffed at that. He was an exceptional shinobi in ability and skill, he got excellent grades in the Academy while he was a Genin and even better grades at ANBU Academy. His taijutsu was beyond that of most, having mastered a number of different styles including the way of the Gentle Fist and Hidden Lotus. Even without the help of Bayakugan, he had no problem of reading chakra points on someone's body. His Ninjutsu was exceptional and he was about average with Genjutsu. He also had an interesting chakra element, Shadow, the second of its kind other than his dead father's. Unlike the Nara clan's ability to control shadows, he can make them a physical form and can create anything from them. To top it all off, he had an excellent repertoire of jutsu memorized and mastered. The only problem was that he was only a two year experienced ANBU member which ranked him as 2nd class ANBU Shinobi.

In the words of his old friend, Shikamaru, "What a drag…"

"Hey! What're you daydreaming about back there?" Lance heard Hadji call to him.

Lance looked ahead spying his friend a good twenty meters away from him. "Just wondering why we never go on important missions." He said still somewhat scowling.

Hadji laughed. "We'll get our chance…when you move up a rank that is."

Lance's scowl deepened. Hadji had an extra year of experience that he did so of course he was higher rank as well as over him.

Suddenly, Lance got an idea! What if this is what the summons was all about?

Promotion!!??

Score!

This made him want to get to the Hokage as soon as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"This way please." Said Shizune, the Hokage's assistant as she guided Lance and Hadji along the passages of the High Council building. There were numerous rooms for meetings and other events that Konoha dealt with. As they walked along Lance and Hadji spied interrogation rooms, war rooms, meeting halls, things you would expect in the command center of Konoha.

At the top of the domed building Shizune stopped at a door and turned to the two ANBU. "I assume you know your manners as well as form of address?" she asked as if praying wasn't dealing with a couple of ruffians.

"Yes ma'am." They both said.

"Good, follow me."

With a flick of her hair short black hair she turned and opened the door and stepped through with Lance and Hadji at her heels.

The room was enormous, a lot bigger than the two remembered from the day they snuck in and got caught. Apparently the new Hokage after the 3rd's death at the hand's of the infamous Orochimaru did a bit of remodeling that you would kind of expect from a woman. Elegant paintings that depicted Konoha hung upon the walls. There were lustrous flowers in pots all around the room that left a nice fresh scent throughout the room. The only thing that looked untouched was the Hokage's desk except it was riddled with papers with dealings that didn't have anything to with them. Apparently from the two's deduction, that was a sign of laziness. When the 3rd was still around that desk was clean. There was a chair behind it though and in that chair was a person.

"Milady Tsunade." Said Shizune, bowing low. "ANBU agents, Hadjimaro Nara and Lance Ryobi have arrived as ordered."

The chair slowly turned and in doing so revealed the face of the blonde haired(and very noticeably huge breasted) Hokage. As one of the legendary Sannin, the two ANBU expected someone a little older looking than what she seemed. She looked to be in her late twenties but they very well knew she was well over forty. Time reversal jutsu sure had done its magic.

Lady Tsunade turned and greeted them with a nod and the two shinobi in turn dropped two one knee fisted planted to the floor, the formal greeting of a warrior shinobi class.

"You may rise and remove your masks." The Hokage said nodding in approval. Then she turned to her assistant. "You may attend to your other duties."

Shizune bowed low again before turning on her heel and exiting the room.

Lance and Hadji stood quickly and removed their masks leaving the Hokage a little somewhat surprised.

"You…you're a little younger than I had imagined…" she said looking each of their faces. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen, milady." Lance replied.

"Nineteen." replied Hadji.

She nodded. "Young indeed, but exactly who I need for this."

Lance stifled a disappointed sigh. No promotion.

"But first off," she continued. "Lance you have been given leave to access S-class assignments which means you are as of now officially ranked as 1st Class ANBU Shinobi Ninja.

Lance nearly beamed at this but again controlled his emotions.

He bowed slightly in understanding. "Thank you ma'am."

Lady Tsunade smiled. She took a liking to this kid's manners. He not only showed respect for her as Hokage but he even was a gentleman by showing her respect as a woman. But she had not the time to admire his traits. There were other matters at hand.

"I understand that both you and your comrade have as of yesterday returned from your mission in the Land of Waves." She continued. "However your services are being called upon again in this new assignment because of your experience in that mission. I'm supposing while on assignment you heard the rumors circling around that area am I correct?"

Lance and Hadji both looked at each other with a knowing glance. While they were there they heard rumors of ex-Konoha ninja that had been traveling around the lands. What was disturbing was that this ninja was committing murders. But it wasn't their job to find him so they left the rumor alone.

Hadji nodded to the Hokage. "We've heard of him. A rouge ninja presumably from Konoha."

She nodded. "This rouge shinobi has been finally identified as an Akatsuki member. We believe it's the ex-Konoha ninja, Itachi Uchiha."

Both Lance and Hadji frowned at the name. They knew him. He had been a substitute kunai instructor at the Academy when they were Genin. They were well aware of his reputation too. He murdered his entire clan on a whim only sparing his little brother. What happened to him since then no one has known since he disappeared. But he had re-emerged from hiding as Akatsuki.

"What's he doing in the Land of Waves?" Lance asked.

"We haven't got that information and our spies can't get to close." Tsunade said. "He already knows he's being watched and he's killed two ANBU in the last two weeks."

Lance felt a shiver. An emotion he really shouldn't get. Life expectancy of an ANBU was extremely short and he knew it. But in a way, going up against the infamous Itachi was nearly suicide. Even spying on him was dangerous.

"What is our assignment?" Lance replied.

The Hokage looked a little strange, almost worried. Maybe it was the fact that she was sending two very young shinobi nearly on a suicide mission. But their skills were what she needed. And they were the best in the business.

"Your mission is to spy but that's not all." Tsunade said seriously. "We know the Akatsuki's goal has been to collect Bijuus, but there hasn't been a known appearance of any of these creatures which leaves us to believe there is a Jinchuuriki they have found and are attempting to capture."

"A Jinchuuriki, you mean like Naruto?" Hadji asked.

"One and the same." She replied. "However we don't know the location of this Jinchuuriki or of the beast he or she contains or if there is one in the first place. That is another one of your jobs to find out. For now, that is all I have for you and I will have agents relay info when possible."

The two ANBU bowed again preparing to leave.

"One more thing, the Akatsuki travels in pairs. According to information from Kakashi Hatake, the partner of Itachi was the missing-nin from the Hidden Mist Village. Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."

Hearing those two names and knowing their reputations could make anybody gulp in anxiety and there was no exception for Lance and Hadji. They were somewhat glad it was just a spying mission.

"You leave tomorrow morning so be well rested and ready to go." The Hokage ordered.

We bowed again. "Yes ma'am!"

"Dismissed!"

With that, we disappeared from her office.


End file.
